Electric rat-trap.



Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.`

C. W. N.'PALMER.

ELECTRIC BAT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED 11011.21, 1912. l 1 1 2,228.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS ifimvfssfs C. W. N. PALMER.

ELECTRIC RAT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 21, 1912.

1,1 1 2,228, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

f 25 7 JV 7 l i J 23 *1V/mage 73 l l y W TTRNEYS 1HE NaRRlS PETERS C0., PHoTaLirHo.. WASHINGTON, D. C

- rrEn srArEs PATENT CEEICE. f

CLARENCE W. N. PALMER, or GREENoAsrLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC RAT-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 29, 1914..

Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial N o. 732,714.

tions, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a rat trap in which the rodent is killed by an electric shock, and his body deposited in a proper receptacle.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the trap when once operated will automatically reset itself, thus doing away with the necessity of setting the trap each time it is used.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part .of this apv an 'electric shock I loosely mount a pair of plication in which Figure 1 is av vertical sectional view through the device on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged section along the line 5 5 ofF ig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I provide a receptacle 1 which forms the base portion of the device. Mounted upon the base portion are uprights 2, which bear at their tops a stationary shaft 3. Secured to the shaft is an insulating ring or lcollar 5, while on each side of the collar are loosely mounted hubs 6. Set into the hubs are a series of radially extending plates 7, which form supports for the plates 9 that go to make up the radiating arms or platforms. In Fig. 5 I have shown these plates as being secured tothe members 7 by means of bolts 10, suitable insulating strips 11 being interposed between the members 9 and the radiating supportslT, the bolts also being insulated by means of bushings '12. Between the outer ends of the plates,` 9 are `,spacing blocks 13. In Fig. 1 I have shownrfour of these arms or platforms at A, B, C and D respectively.`

. Mounted upon brackets 14 on each arm is `a plate 15 which is normally inclined` down- :wardly as shown in Fig. l, and which has a pivotal connection with a rod 16 disposed between the plates 9 of each arm. The lower ends of the rods 16 are pointed and are arranged to enter a recess in the top of the collar 5. The rod 16 is of sufficient weight to enter this recess without the use of a spring. Each arm is provided with a pin or hook for the bait 17. 1

The 'device is provided with an external casing 1S which rests on the top of the receptacle 1. This casing is cut away at its front-upper half as shown at 19 in Fig. 1

to provide 'an opening foi` theentrance of the rodent. An inclined run-way or ladder 20 leads to a platform 21, which is arranged to register with the arms when the latter are stationary.`

In order to provide for killing the rat by insulating wheels 21 and 22 on the shaft Each of these wheels isprovided with a conducting ring such as that shown at 21x and 22".l The ring 21X is connected by means of the wires 23 to the arms A and C, `while the ring 22*` is connected by means of the wires 24 to the arms B and D, these wires- 24 passing through the insulating wheel 21, as shown in Fig. 2. A brush 25 bears on the ring 21% while a similar brush 26 bears on the ring22x.

shown at 27fwith the positive source of current and the other brush is designed to be connectedto the negative source of current.

This `source of current maybe any source One of these brushes is connected by rmeans of a wire such as that From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

' The rat or other rodent scenting the bait 17 ascends the ladder 2O and passes from the platform 21 on to one of the arms, such as that shown at B in F ig. 1. He rises to get the bait 17 and places his front feet on the plate 15. The impact causes the lifting of the rod 16 from the slot in the top of the collar 5. The Weight of the animal causes the platform or arm to move downwardly thus rotating all the arms and precipitating the rat into the receptacle 1. It Will be noted that each alternate arm or platform is charged with electricity ofthe opposite character so that a charge will go through the rat When Contact is made With the plate 15. rlhe rat is thus killed at the time his front feet are placed on the plate. The mo` mentum of the device causes the arms to revolve until the rod 16 of the next arm,

which, in this case would be the arm D, comes into registration With the recess in the top of the collar 5 When the end of the rod Will drop into it thus locking the device in position ready to operate on another rat. As soon as the rat receives the shock and his fore feet are Withdrawn from the plate 15 the circuit is broken. 1t will thus be seen that the device is charged at all times, but does not use current until actual contact is made. The cost of the current therefore is very slight. When the trap is once baited it is not necessary to make any further adjustu ments except to remove the bodies of the rats which have been killed by the trap.

I claim:

1. 1n an electric trap, a central fixed shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a series of radially extending platforms carried by said sleeve, means carried by each platform for preventing the rotation of the sleeve, and means for charging alternate platforms With electricity of the same sign and adjacent platforms with electricity of opposite sign.

2. In an electric trap, a centralv fixed shaft, a locking collar secured to said shaft and being provided with a recess, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft and constituting a hub, a plurality of radiating platforms carried by said hub, and locking means carried by each of said platforms and adapted to enter the recess in the collar for preventing the rotation of the hub.

3. 1n an electric trap, a central fixed shaft, a locking collar secured to said shaft and being provided with a recess, a sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft and constituting a hub, a plurality of radiating platforms carried by said hub, locking means carried by each of said platforms and adapted to enter the recess in the collar for preventing the ananas rotation of the hub, each of said locking means comprising a pivoted plate, and a gravity operated locking rod pivotally conn nected to said plate, the lower end of cach of said rods being arranged to enter successively the recess in said collar.

4. In an electric trap, a stationary shaft, a hub or sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft, radially extending platforms carried by said hub and being insulated therefrom, a locking collar secured to said shaft, locking means carried by each of said platforms for engaging said locking collar in succession, each of said locking means comprising a pivot plate, and a gravity operated locking rod pivotally connected with said plate and arranged to engage the collar.

5. In an electric trap, a stationary shaft, a hub or sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft, radially extending platforms carried by said hub and being insulated therefrom, a locking collar secured to said shaft, locking means carried by each of said platforms for engaging said locking collar in succession, each of said locking means comprising a pivot plate, a gravity operated locking rod pivotally connected With said plate and arranged to engage the collar, each of said plates having electrical connection with the platform upon Which it is mounted, and means for charging adjacent radially extending platforms With electricity of opposite polarity.

G. ln an electric trap, a stationary shaft,

a hub or sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft, radially extending platforms carried by said hub and being insulated therefrom, a locking collar secured to said shaft, locking means carried by each of said platforms for engaging said locking collar in succession, each of said locking means comprising a pivot plate, a gravity operated locking rod pivotally connected with said plate and arranged to engage the collar, each of said plates having electrical connection with the platform upon Which it is mounted, means for charging adjacent radially extending platforms with electricity of opposite polarity, and means carried by cach platform for supporting bait, said last named means being disposed between the end of the platform and the pivoted plate.

7.4 In an electric trap, a stationary shaft, a hub or sleeve loosely mounted on said shaft, radially extending platforms carried by said hub and being insulated therefrom, a locking collar secured to said shaft, locking means carried by each of said platforms for engaging said locking collar in succession, each of said locking means comprising a pivot plate, a gravity operated locking rod pivotally connected with said plate and arranged to engage the collar, each of said plates having electrical connection With the platform upon which it is mounted, means for charging adjacent radially extending platforms With electricity of opposite polarity, means carried by each platform for 5 supporting bait, said last named means being disposed between the end of the platform and the pvoted plate, and a stationary platform arranged to register with each of said platforms successively when the hub is in its looked position. y CLARENCE W.\N. PALMER. Witnesses:

C. MASON HOFFMAN, `LESLIE A. FITz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

